What makes Standard Notes a great Simplenote alternative
Simplenote is an application for note-taking that was acquired by Automattic in 2013.
- Simplenote does not appear to be actively maintained.
- As of November 2023, the last update to the iOS Simplenote application was in May 2022, and the last commit to their desktop code repository was in January 2022.
In addition, Simplenote does not offer end-to-end encryption, which means that your notes are not encrypted on their servers.
- This means that Simplenote employees can read your notes. In fact, Simplenote's help documentation recommends "not using Simplenote to store anything particularly sensitive" for this reason.
Features Comparison Table
| Simplenote | Standard Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Employees can read your notes | ✅ | ❌ |
| Hackers can read your notes | ✅ | ❌ |
| Revenue Model | Subsidized by parent company | User Funded |
| End-to-end encrypted | ❌ | ✅ |
| On-device encryption | ❌ | ✅ |
| Encryption in transit | ✅ | ✅ |
| Encryption at rest | ❓ | ✅ |
| Third-party security audited | ❓ | ✅ |
| Two-factor authentication | ❌ | ✅ |
| Source code is publicly viewable | ✅ | ✅ |
| Password Protection for Notes | ❌ | ✅ |
| App Lock (Passcode, Face ID, Fingerprint) | ❌ | ✅ |
| End-to-end encrypted file storage | ❌ | ✅ |
| Text Notes | ✅ | ✅ |
| Rich Text | ❌ | ✅ |
| Markdown | ❌ | ✅ |
| Tasks & Todos | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spreadsheets | ❌ | ✅ |
| Nested Folders | ❌ | ✅ |
| Note Pinning & Archiving | ✅ | ✅ |
| Easy Data Import & Export | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom Smart Views | ❌ | ✅ |
| Inline images | ❌ | ✅ |
| Bi-directional note linking | ❌ | ✅ |
| Plugin support | ❌ | ✅ |
| Daily email backups | ❌ | ✅ |
| Integrated Blogging Platform | ❌ | ✅ |
| Desktop application | ✅ | ✅ |
| Web application | ✅ | ✅ |
| iOS application | ✅ | ✅ |
| Android application | ✅ | ✅ |
| Web clipper | ❌ | ✅ |
Detailed Comparison
- Security and Privacy: Standard Notes leads in security with end-to-end encryption, on-device encryption, and being third-party security audited. In contrast, Simplenote lacks these advanced security features, highlighting Standard Notes as the better choice for users concerned about data privacy.
- Revenue Model: Simplenote does not appear to have a revenue model, and is subsidized by its parent company Automattic. It is likely due to this reason that Simplenote has not been actively maintained. In contrast, Standard Notes is user-funded, and is actively maintained by a team of developers.
- Encryption Strength: Both apps offer encryption in transit, but Standard Notes takes it a step further with encryption at rest and end-to-end encrypted file storage, ensuring superior data protection at all stages.
- Note Security Features: Standard Notes enhances note security with password protection, app lock options (Passcode, Face ID, Fingerprint), and end-to-end encrypted file storage. These features are not available in Simplenote.
- Functionality and Usability: Standard Notes supports markdown, nested folders, custom smart views, inline images, and bi-directional note linking, features absent in Simplenote. These functionalities offer more flexibility and control over note organization and presentation.
- Extended Features: Standard Notes stands out with unique features like plugin support, daily email backups, and an integrated blogging platform, providing a comprehensive note-taking ecosystem. These features are not available in Simplenote.
Conclusion
Considering the comprehensive feature set, advanced security, and privacy-focused design, Standard Notes emerges as the superior choice over Simplenote, particularly for users who prioritize data security, transparency, and a rich array of functionalities in their digital note-taking experience.
Resources
Switch from Simplenote today to enjoy a richer, more private note-taking experience
Start using Standard Notes completely free on all your devices, with full end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication. Upgrade only when you need more power.
